EMOVDYOXCT
Back in
1948, when American Humanics was founded, the name made perfect sense. "Humanics" implied
human service. Six decades later, most people struggle to draw a connection to "Preparing
Next Generation Nonprofit Leaders."
No wonder the challenge for American
Humanics students, campus leaders, alumni, staff and other stakeholders in
communicating what AH is all about. For the unfamiliar
or unaffiliated, the name can be a source of confusion. Now, more than ever,
the organization needs to speak with a clear voice.
"The AH
mission hasn't changed; in fact, it's taking on increasing importance in
the 21st century," said Jane Massey, COO of March of Dimes
and chair of the AH Board of Directors Communications and Marketing Committee.
"Our current ‘brand' doesn't necessarily reflect that, however.
It's time for a change."
Long Time Coming
Minutes
from an AH board meeting in the early 1980s suggest that efforts to change
the name and rebrand
the
organization are nothing new.
They were rekindled
at
the June 2009 meeting of the board's Communications and Marketing Committee.
Pasquale
Trozzolo, CEO of Trozzolo Communications Group, and Bill O'Boyle,
senior vice president at MJM Creative Services, suggested that AH should seriously
consider a name change to better convey its mission and message. Fellow board
member David Sallee, president of William Jewell College, agreed and added
that he spends half of many conversations about AH explaining the name's
connection to the mission.
Trozzolo
and O'Boyle offered their companies' services
on a pro-bono basis, and the board approved the committee recommendation and
modest funding
request for the rebranding project.
Examples Abound
Such a
move would hardly be unprecedented, as many well-known nonprofits have undergone
rebranding
projects recently,
including America's
Second Harvest (now Feeding America). The June 15 issue of The NonProfit Times
featured an article
on the trend, highlighting organizations like the League for the Hard of Hearing
(now Center for Hearing and Communication) and Christian Children's Fund
(now ChildFund International). March of Dimes didn't change its name,
but it did launch a new logo and last year renamed its famous annual WalkAmerica® event
to March for Babies® to appear less corporate and to clearly underscore
the March of Dimes mission.
"We wanted
to improve our mission awareness," said Doug Staples, senior vice president,
Strategic Marketing and Communications at March of Dimes. "It's
not changing our mission, but it's changing the way in which we go to
market."
Beyond the Name Game
Following
a review of AH communications materials and many AH campus Web sites, Trozzolo
had this
to say: "There
is a substantial lack of brand consistency, which is a missed opportunity
for AH to connect
campuses to a consistent look, feel and unifying message that is distinctly
American Humanics."
Indeed,
an updated brand is just as important to an organization like American Humanics
as to a multinational
corporation. It often is an organization's
largest asset. The AH brand has six decades of equity behind it. As you can
see in the evolution of the AH logo, the look has changed to reflect the times.
Now
the name must do the same.
"Without
a name that draws a clear connection to our mission," Sallee said, "there
is the threat that a different organization with a better name and similar
mission could compete with AH – and possibly win."
What are
your thoughts on a rebranded American Humanics? Please send your comments
to Richard
Potter at richard.potter@humanics.org.
